Golden Bears Get a Win Before Losing to the Bison After 10 Innings of Action

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (April 10, 2022) – The Western New England Softball team battled it out with the Nichols College Bison today, winning the first game 10-2 in six innings and in the second game, forced 10 innings but came up short, losing 10-9.

Records:

• Western New England: 15-8
• Nichols College: 6-14

Game 1: Western New England 10, Nichols College 2

The Bison were the first on the scoreboard after a walk with the bases loaded. In the bottom of the first, The Golden Bears put up four runs. Dina DiBlasio hit a double to left center for an RBI while Kaleigh Blades ran past home plate, followed by an RBI on a single up the middle from Kailey Carrano, and then Cori Rizzo hit a homerun to collect two RBIs. Carrano got another RBI in the bottom of the second for WNE to have the game lead 5-1. Nichols picked up their last run in the first game of the day in the top of the third. The Golden Bears closed out the ball game in the bottom of the sixth. It started with a single through the left side from Taylor Keegan with one out tallied on the board. Blades then singled, and DiBlasio hit another RBI doubled to right center and Keegan made it to home base. Carrano hit a Sac fly and Blades completed a run. DiBlasio then stole third proceeded by Alex Ferriouolo smashing a homerun over left field. A throwing error by the Nichols shortstop led to a WNE's Maggie Marquardt scored unearned for their fifth run of the inning and a final score of 10-2.

Inside The Diamond:

• Western New England was led by Dina DiBlasio who went 3-4 at bat, all doubles, completed two runs, had two RBIs, and stole a base.
• Alex Ferriouolo and Cori Rizzo hit homeruns, both for two RBIs
• Kailey Carrano went 2-3 at bat, completed a run, and the game high of three RBIs
• Starting Pitcher Ava Blanchard pitched in all six innings, faced 29 batters, allowed seven hits and two runs, recorded four strikeouts and only two errors.

Game 2: Nichols College 10, Western New England 9

The Golden Bears got off to a great start in the second game. In the bottom of the first they put up six runs and allowed non in the top. Dina BiBlasio picked up the first RBI of the game with a double to left center. Alex Ferriouolo hit another homerun on the day for three RBIs and Madison Mason followed up with a homerun of her own. The last run on the inning was completed by Paige Baca and an RBI from Brianna Floyd. DiBlasio added to the homerun count in the bottom of second to put the Golden Bears ahead 7-0. The Bison completed a run in the top the third when Chloe Steiniger scored unearned and gave them a tally on the board.

In the top of the sixth inning, The Bison took the lead on the ballgame. With only one out, Nichols compiled seven runs on five hits due to a Grand Slam hit by Gurnee-Mims. The Golden Bears had three pitcher changes before the final two outs of the inning. With no runs completed in the bottom, the Golden Bears were now behind the Bison 8-7. After two strikeouts and one grounded out at second base in the top of the seventh, WNE tied it up in the bottom to send the game into extra innings. The Bison's Steiniger hit an RBI single in the top of the eighth, and then The Golden Bears' Taylor Keegan had a Sac Fly RBI in the bottom to bring it into another inning. It was a 10-inning game after no runs completed in the ninth. The Bison earned a run from a Sac bunt and a singled RBI to put them back ahead one in the top. The Golden Bears had one out before Keegan was walked, but an unfortunately outs double play from right field to the Bison's catcher ended the action with the Golden Bears just down one to the Bison and a final score of 10-9.                                                                     

Around The Diamond:

• Western New England's Paige Baca was 3-2 at bat, completed a run with a triple hit in the first inning.
• Dina DiBlasio, Alex Ferriouolo, and Madison Mason hit homeruns in the second ball game. Ferriouolo added three RBIs with two completed runs.
• Starting Pitcher Megan Beebe pitched in 7.2 innings, faced 33 batters, allowed four hits and three runs with seven strikeouts.
• Western New England scored nine runs in 13 hits allowing 10 runs in 10 hits.

Up Next: The Golden Bears will face the Suffolk University Rams, a reschedule, for their next set of games. The game will take place at Suffolk Wednesday April 13, with a 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. start time.

The Bison are traveling to Worcester, Mass. for their doubleheader against Clark University Tuesday April 12, for a 3 p.m. and 5 p.m. game